Between The Lines
by a-proud-fangirl
Summary: Everybody can see that the Colonel and his Lieutenant have a strong professional relationship, but if they look between the lines, they will see that there is something more. A chronological take on the Royai 100 Themes! Stories from their childhood until the Promised Day. Theme 7 - Crime and Punishment. "He figured that she was asleep, and he decided to take a peek."
1. Military Personnel

**Hello mehehehe. I was so bored so I decided to try out writing the Royai 100 Themes. And because of I am super bored, I decided to make it chronological. XD I thought I'll just post it. :)**

 **Disclaimer: If I own FMA, I would create a spin-off about Royai.**

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Military Personnel

"Aunt Chris, when is he going to arrive?" Roy Mustang asked as he spun himself on the bar stool. Aunt Chris, known by most people as Madame Christmas, was busy wiping glasses and placing them in the shelf.

She glanced at his baggage and pile of books that was placed on the table. "Be patient, boy. Few more minutes wouldn't hurt you. And stop spinning."

"You keep on saying that; I'm sitting here for two hours." Roy continued spinning, and grabbed one of his books. _Where is the old man, anyway?_ Madame Christmas thought. She looked at the clock; two o'clock in the afternoon. Judging by the time, Roy would probably arrive at Dorhedge early evening.

The eleven-year-old boy, who was scanning a book while spinning himself on the bar stool, was very excited, she can tell. He woke up early at six, and was ready to go by seven. Roy Mustang usually takes his time to ready, and today it only took him one hour, which surprised the Madame. He stayed in his room, reading books until twelve noon, and he has been spinning on the bar stool since then. Madame Christmas wondered how he managed to continue spinning without feeling dizzy.

"Deconstruction is using energy to break down the physical structure of the identified material into a more malleable state so as to be easily reshaped into a new form." Roy read the book aloud. "While reconstruction is continuing the flow of energy so as to reform the material into a new shape." He placed the book on the table and rested his head on it, "I feel sick, that's the last time I'll be spinning."

Madame Christmas gave him a glass of water. "That's what you get for not following me," she chuckled as Roy drank his water in one gulp. He muttered thanks as he gave his glass to his aunt.

"Don't forget to update us there, Roy!" Anna, one of Madame's girls, exclaimed. She was wiping the tables on one of the booths as she continued blabbing. "I heard from the Brigadier General that your teacher has a daughter. Who knew maybe someday you two will fall in love!"

Mae, who was mopping the floor, squealed in excitement. "That is going to be exciting! I can imagine you sweeping your teacher's daughter off her feet. I can imagine you both going on dates. I can imagine you both getting married!" Roy just rolled his eyes.

"Girls, girls. Roy is still too young to be thinking of those things." Madame Christmas butted in their conversation. "You two have been reading too much romantic novels. Stop applying your imaginations to Roy and place it elsewhere."

Mae was about to reply when the bell on the door rung, and a man wearing military uniform entered.

"Oh, good day, Sir!" Anna and Mae greeted the visitor, as they continue their chores.

"Finally, you arrived. What happened to twelve noon?" Madame Christmas placed her hands on her hips, while Roy studied his appearance. He had graying hair, which was hidden by the hat he was wearing on his head. His eyeglasses shone as sunlight hit on its rim, and he was wearing an uncanny smile. Looking at the epaulets on his uniform, Roy immediately knew that he was of high rank. Beads of sweat were present on the man's forehead; he wiped away it with his handkerchief.

"I am so sorry Madame, but work got in the way," the man removed the hat on his head and smiled as an apology. He then turned to Roy. "Oh, so this must be little Roy?"

Roy narrowed his eyes. "I am not little," he said with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Boy, that is not how you speak to strangers," Madame Christmas chided.

The man just laughed. "I like him; he's got spunk." Anna and Mae giggled.

"He is Brigadier General Grumman, and he will take you to your alchemy teacher." Madame Christmas continued. Roy looked at her, then at the man, back at her.

"Why would a military officer take me to my teacher? Is this something that the military usually do?" His dark eyes showed curiosity.

Grumman chuckled. "No, Roy. I just have some business to attend at Dorhedge as well," he answered, before looking at the Madame. "But before we go, I'd like to have a glass of whiskey, please."

Madame Christmas rolled her eyes. "Roy, put your things in the Brigadier General's car trunk while I give him his glass." As Roy followed his aunt's order, Grumman took a seat in a bar stools.

" _The Tales of Woodrow City, Mismatched, Adventures of Fin and his Eight Dogs._ " Grumman read the titles of some of his books. "I'd never bet on your nephew being a wide reader."

Madame Christmas placed his glass of whiskey in front of him. "That's all he does every day; he keeps on reading books, and not just alchemy ones. Roy loves to read even fictional ones." Grumman smiled at her; she raised an eyebrow at him. "I know that look; I'm guessing that Riza also loves reading books."

"Oh yes, she does." Grumman drank his whiskey. "That's all she wanted as presents." Madame Christmas never met his granddaughter, but she felt as if she already knew her, since Grumman kept on telling stories. She continued on wiping glasses, ignoring the man sitting in front of her who was staring at her intently. "I also know that look, Madame. You're going to miss the boy."

Madame Christmas scoffed. "What kind of aunt wouldn't?" She tried to ignore him still, but his staring was getting uncomfortable. "What?" she exasperated.

"Nothing, I just find it amusing." Grumman replied before taking a gulp. Sensing that Madame Christmas will remain silent, he continued. "I remember when you do not want anything to do with the boy before, but Allan left him with you when he died. Now, you are treating him like your own child."

"Blame Allan and Cynthia for dying way too early." Madame Christmas replied. "The boy grew on me. He was just like his father when we were young." She looked at Roy who was enclosed in Anna and Mae's tight hug. Madame Christmas would never admit that to anyone, though. Richard Grumman is the only man she can open up about Roy. She have known him since she was a little girl, and she looked up to him like her older brother. Although they aren't as close as they were in their childhood days.

"If I were you Chris, I wouldn't worry. Berthold is strict, and harsh. But he is a caring man, and there's Elizabeth and Riza. Roy is in safe hands." Grumman placed his glass on the table and stood up. "We should leave; we would probably arrive there by nightfall."

"Well you wouldn't if you arrived here early." Madame Christmas retorted, as she placed down the glass she was wiping and accompanied Grumman in going outside.

* * *

Anna and Mae were teary-eyed.

"We are going to miss you, Roy." Anna said, as she hugged him tight. Roy was finding it harder to breathe.

"You both are overreacting," Roy said, as Mae hugged him next. "It's not like I'm going to stay there forever."

Mae replied. "But still. You might forget us, since you will be meeting new people. And your teacher's daughter will also take your time, I can see it."

"Would you both please quit-"

"When will you girls realize that Roy is still young?" Madame Christmas interrupted Roy. "Come here, boy." Before Roy knew it his aunt was also hugging him; it surprised him, since the Madame wasn't much of a hugger. He was about it tell her that she was also overreacting when she spoke. "You take care of yourself, boy, now that I am not around to tell you what to do."

He noticed Grumman smiling at the scene. "Okay, Aunt Chris. Can we go now?" he removed himself from his aunt.

"Eager, aren't we?" the Madame snorted. Grumman approached the pair and patted Madame Christmas on her shoulder. It reminded her that Roy will be fine. After Roy said his goodbyes to the three women, he left. Madame Christmas was saddened by the fact that it will be months before she will see his nephew again.

* * *

Roy spent his whole ride on the train reading. He thought that they would be riding the car to Dorhedge. It turned out that the place was farther than he had imagined. The car only brought them to the train station, and they had been on it for three hours. As much as Roy thought he should talk with Brigadier General Grumman, _Adventures of Fin and his Eight Dogs_ is much more interesting. He told himself that he would read only one chapter, but one chapter turned into six.

"I bought that book for my granddaughter months ago," the Brigadier General started to say, which made Roy look at him. "Out of all the books Riza had, that by far was her favorite."

Roy did not know what to say. How does one talk to older people? Aunt Chris is the only older person he has talked to, and she was his relative. Brigadier General Grumman sensed his discomfort. "No need to be tense around me, Roy," the Brigadier General chuckled. "I don't bite."

"I'm sorry, Sir." Roy stuttered. "It's not that I am tense; I just don't know what to say." Are they near to Dorhedge already?

"It's fine, I don't mind. We are thirty minutes away from Dorhedge, in case you're wondering." Roy raised an eyebrow. How can this man read his mind?

"What are you feeling, Roy? Excited? Nervous?" Brigadier General Grumman crossed his legs and smiled.

What is he feeling? "I feel… normal, I guess. Maybe I am kind of excited and nervous." Roy replied, remembering the page he stopped reading and closed the book. "What about you, Sir? Do you find your uniform too stuffy for this hot weather?" He was feeling discomfort for the man.

"I'm used to it. Why'd you ask?"

"I don't see myself wearing that clothing on a hot day, Sir." He was being honest with the Brigadier General. Who in the world would be wearing long sleeves and pants during summer?

The man wasn't offended. In fact, he was quite amused. "I like that personality of yours, Roy. It's been a while since I talked to someone so straightforward. Everyone nowadays seems to be hiding something."

 _Including your granddaughter?_ Roy wanted to ask, but he didn't. Who knows maybe this man would also pair him with this young girl like his sisters did.

* * *

Dorhedge was a small town east of Amestris. Roy noticed that unlike in Central, wherein one can see military personnel at every street, here it is rare. As he and Brigadier General Grumman stepped out of the train, all eyes were on them. But those eyes were kind ones.

People here are friendly, Roy noted. They smiled at him, not paying attention on the fact that he was new to their town. There was also a cart whose driver was willing to accompany them both to the Hawkeye home. The fare here was cheaper than the fare in Central. Roy guessed that it is because this is a rural place.

The air was definitely fresher, and the leaves were greener. There was not even a sign of pollution in this place. But unlike the rural places he had read on some books, Dorhedge has electricity and, he suppose, running water. He figured that his new home was far from the other homes, since all he can see now are fields. The sky was now turning purple; he can see the sun setting behind the mountain.

"Liked the place, Roy?" Brigadier General Grumman must have sensed his amazement; Roy nodded in reply. "This is why my daughter, Elizabeth, did not want to leave Dorhedge. For here this town was paradise." Oh, paradise indeed, Roy thought. He hopes that this place also has a lake.

The cart stopped by a medium-sized house. Brigadier General Grumman gathered his baggage. This must be it, Roy mused. He followed the Brigadier General's suit and got down from the cart. Setting his baggage to knock, Brigadier General Grumman waited for the door to open.

A girl younger than her answered the door. She was a few inches smaller than Roy, and her hair was short one could have mistaken her for a young boy if it wasn't for her pink dress. What struck Roy were her brown eyes. It was a lovely shade of hazel. Rude as it was, he can't stop staring at those hazel eyes.

"Hello, Grandfather!" she exclaimed.

So she must be the granddaughter his sisters can't stop talking about.

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 **Any thoughts? Thank you. :)**


	2. Gunshot

**A/N: I was waiting for my torrents to finish downloading, and I want my day to be productive, so I wrote this update. XD**

 **Disclaimer: If I own FMA, I would probably be rich. XD**

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Gunshot

Roy woke up with the sound of a gunshot.

He did not realize that he fell asleep while reading the last chapter of _Alchemy for Beginners_ , the book that Master Hawkeye told him to read and understand before he will be taught by him himself this early afternoon. The title of the book may sound like it was a very easy-to-read material, but titles can be deceiving. Complicated words and equations, it made his head ache even by just thinking about it. It would be embarrassing to return the book to Master later with a drool on the page.

He looked at the clock. It was six o'clock in the morning, why are there gunshots?! Bloody scenarios entered Roy's mind. He shuddered at the thought of being the only one alive left in the house, with the rest of the Hawkeye family being shot by the thief who came to steal all their money and jewelry. Imagine going outside the room and all you can see are trails of blood. He has to investigate this scene.

Roy stood up from his desk and walked cautiously at the window, searching first for evidence outside the house. He leaned first on the wall before looking at the window, taking a deep breath. He really has a feeling that all those things that were happening in books he had read would finally come to life. And as he looked out the window… he was totally wrong. His imaginations were getting haywire.

He had been staying at the Hawkeye house for three days; Brigadier General Grumman is still there, Roy presumed he took a vacation leave just so he could visit his family. The gunshots that woke him up came from him, he was shooting. A makeshift pistol shooting range was built at the backyard, with trees leading to the forest at the back of the range. Roy estimated the length of the range to be 25 yards, and a target stand made of plywood at the middle. The line of orange paint around the range also defines its space.

Brigadier General Grumman stood at the orange line, at the position aligned to the target stand. Holding his pistol, he shot, and shot, and shot. He was a good sharpshooter; always nearing the bulls eye. Roy observed his stance, this was the first time he saw a soldier quite in action. In Central, there may be lots of soldiers, but it's either they are drinking or just marching. His aunt also never allowed him to be near military operations whenever there was one near their vicinity.

As he looked at the scene, he saw a figure that looks out of place. Sitting on the steps near the backdoor was the granddaughter. Riza Hawkeye, Roy observed since the day he got there, is a shower of pink. Pink slippers, pink teddy bear, and today she was wearing a pink nightgown with strawberries printed on the cloth. Too girly, Roy mused. She also has a pink bookmark, as he saw her holding one while she was reading. When she opened the door when he arrived, she also wears pink.

He had never got the chance to talk to her alone. She was a quiet little girl, and like what the Brigadier General said, she spent her time reading too much. He once passed by her room and all he can see is books, most of which are books not normally read by girls her age. Her room was also filled with dolls and other kinds of toys, but they looked untouched. Roy wanted a friend in that place, and Riza could be a good candidate. The only problem was how he will start the conversation, if ever. She was very quiet, he thought, and Roy did not know how to talk to quiet people, too.

Roy wondered what Riza was doing in the porch steps. She should be sleeping, and wake up later at nine, just like ordinary girls. But no, here she was, hugging her pink teddy bear while watching her grandfather with interest. She should be terrified of the gunshots too, just like ordinary girls. Instead, she seemed to like the way it sounds, listening to it like it was symphony to her ears. Roy shook his head, what a very odd girl.

After splashing his face with cold water from his bathroom sink, Roy decided to head downstairs. He smelled bacon and eggs; Mrs. Hawkeye must be preparing breakfast. And he was right. The lady, Elizabeth Hawkeye, was holding a spatula in one hand, and a plate full of bacon and eggs on the other. She was wearing her blond hair in a ponytail, and an apron was tied around her waist. As Roy sat on one of the chairs, she spun around and smiled at him.

"Good morning Roy, you're up early." He finds her very striking resemblance with her daughter quite amusing.

He replied. "Good morning to you too, Mrs. Hawkeye."

Mrs. Hawkeye placed the plate on the table. "Oh please, stop calling me that. You're making me feel old." He smiled apologetically; he didn't know it was making her feel that way. He thought he was just being polite. "Call me Mommy instead. I always wanted to have a son."

"Uh," Roy started to speak. "Wouldn't that be weird?"

"Why would it be weird?"

"Um, because you're not really my Mommy?" Roy scratched the back of his head. Mrs. Hawkeye laughed a genuine one.

"Does that make you uncomfortable?" Roy nodded. "Okay then, maybe you can call me Aunt Liz." She placed a spoon and fork, and a plate in front of Roy.

"I'm cool with that, Aunt Liz." He beamed at her, and she returned the gesture.

Aunt Liz was such a sweet, sweet lady. He had never seen her lips curved downwards, and she cooked way better than his aunt. Breakfast at the Hawkeye's was different than back home. Here they did not eat breakfast at the same time; back in Central, Aunt Chris wakes him up at exactly eight for them to eat. He preferred it either way.

As Roy was about to gobble up his bacon and egg, the backdoor opened, and a whirlpool of pink and blond entered.

"Why are you in such a hurry, Riza dear?" Her mom asked while she was washing the pan and spatula.

Riza grabbed a plate and a spoon and fork from the shelf and sat down on the chair across from Roy. "Bacon and eggs." She answered. Aunt Liz understood it right away, as she smiled, as usual. Roy guessed that Riza loved bacon and eggs.

"I should take a bath; work starts at seven thirty." Aunt Liz worked at the library, maybe which was where Riza's love for books started. As Aunt Liz headed upstairs, Roy realized that one, Master Hawkeye must still be asleep, and two, this was the first time he and Riza were left alone. How awkward.

Brigadier General Grumman was still out, practicing his aim, so Roy thought that he would be left alone with Riza for a while. Uncomfortable silence hung in the air, at least for him. Riza was more focused on eating her favorite bacon and eggs more than her companion. Roy told himself that he should just eat.

"Why are you up early?" Roy froze while his fork was halfway to his mouth, and his eyes darted to the girl in front of him, chewing on her food. It was Riza who broke the silence; it made Roy kind of confused.

"Who, me?" As soon as he said it, he wanted to take it back right away. It was a very idiotic answer.

Riza narrowed her eyes, and she pointed her finger at something. "No, I'm talking to the one beside you." Roy did not know why he looked at where she was pointing, but when he returned his eyes to Riza, she was _smirking_. For an eight-year-old girl, she loves making him look like an idiot. And he thought she was _quiet_. First impressions really don't last.

"To answer your question, I woke up from your grandfather's gunshots, and now I can't sleep." Roy took a spoonful of bacon and chewed it.

Riza took another egg from the plate. "He is the reason why we have a makeshift range; every time he visits, he wakes up at five thirty and shoots until seven," she explained.

Roy swallowed his food before asking, and he wasn't sure if he should say this. "And you also wake up at five thirty to watch him." This caught her attention, and she just looked at him. "And for an eight-year-old girl, I can say that you do not want dolls and tea sets like normal girls; you want books… and guns."

Her eyes flashed with surprise for a second, and then it disappeared right away. Wow, Roy thought, this must be something that Riza has kept from her parents, since of course who would want to have a daughter who would like play with guns instead. He also noted at how good she was at hiding her emotions, but it was unfortunate for her that he was a very observant boy.

She smiled, but it was the kind of smile that has a warning to it. "You're wrong, Mr. Mustang. Where did you get that absurd idea?"

"When I saw you sitting by the porch steps watching your grandfather with awe, and I noticed the way your eyes are glinting, Miss Hawkeye." It was his time to smirk; he found it very entertaining to get in this young girl's nerves.

"Grandfather was right – you are so straightforward," Riza said, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "And unlike Grandfather, I am not amused."

He started to laugh, which annoyed Riza more. "Now that I think about it, maybe you don't really like the color pink. You just pretend to like that color for your mom." Okay, maybe he got a little overboard. But Riza only raised an eyebrow; he's safe.

"Really?" She gave him a challenging look. It was intimidating, considering that she was younger and smaller than him. He did not give her a response; instead he wore that smirk as he stood up and picked up their plates to wash it in the sink.

As he washed the dishes, he heard Riza stand up from her seat. "This is the first time we talked, Mr. Mustang, and I already hate you," she exasperated.

Roy turned his head on her direction. "Really?" he replied what she had said earlier, and before she left the dining room, Riza just rolled her eyes.

This is very interesting, Roy thought.

* * *

 **Reviews are very much appreciated! :)**


	3. Battlefield

**A/N: Dedicated to the people who never left my side even after all my life struggles. *insert heart emoticon***

 **Disclaimer: I would be very happy if I owned FMA.**

* * *

Battlefield

He had been staying at the Hawkeye home for almost a year. Roy usually does not take note of these things – he must be really bored to update his desk calendar. Red marker for written exams, blue for demonstration, green for book analysis, and black for exercises. Master Hawkeye always gave him the week's schedule every Monday. "These are important dates, kid. I don't like students who are not ready for the day," he would always remind Roy. The boy would not forget; he always wanted to make a good impression on his teacher.

Today was marked black, since Master Hawkeye was accompanying Aunt Liz to the market. Roy's teacher may be strict, but it was obvious that he loved his wife more than anything. He loved her so much that he would join her shopping, which was very boring. Roy sometimes went shopping with Anna back at Central, and it always made him prefer to do household chores instead.

Knowing Aunt Liz, and her usually sudden impulse to visit her friends at Dorhedge, it would be evening when they return. Master Hawkeye had left a five-page exercise about the transmutation circle, and the laws of equivalent exchange. The answers were on the tip of his tongue; he just couldn't figure out how to put them into words. Roy snapped his fingers whenever he tries to recall something, and even that did not work. He was at a loss.

He looked at the window, and saw the orange sky. Sunsets were amazing here at Dorhedge, it was one of the many things he loved about this town. Roy figured that maybe he could think of the answers while leaning on the big rock at the backyard so he could wait for the sunset. Yes, Roy thought, it was probably what he needed.

There was a figure at the big rock when he arrived – it was Riza Hawkeye. She was not actually sitting at the rock – she was leaning on it. A book was on her lap, and she was scanning the last few pages with interest. The jar of cookies that Brigadier General Grumman bought them last week was now empty, and he was craving for one right now.

"You didn't even bother to give me one cookie." He said as he approached the girl. If she heard him speak and he knew that she did, she chose to ignore him. He tried again, this time poking her thigh with his right foot. "Hey."

Riza placed a bookmark on the page she was on and gently closed her book. That was one thing they were similar – they both took care of books a great deal. She looked at him, a hint of irritation evident in her eyes; he also hated it when somebody interrupts his reading. "I'm sorry," she said. "Too caught up in what I was reading to be aware of my surroundings."

He gave her _the_ look – "I know you now too well to know that you are lying". Riza just shrugged. A moment of silence passed between the pair; Roy heard the chirping of the birds nearby, and the rustling of leaves that were threatening to fall. Riza sighed, which brought his attention back at her. "What are you doing here, Roy?" They were on a first name basis only when Master Hawkeye wasn't around.

He decided to sit down beside her. "This is my rock, you know."

"Your rock?" She scoffed. "Really?" That had been sort of _their_ word – he did not know how that happened, he just knew. They both knew.

He pointed something that was carved on the big rock, and when she saw it, she rolled her eyes. _Roy's rock_ , it said. She must be really fed up with him, he thought. He lived to annoy her – it ignites the fire in her hazel eyes, and he loved fire.

"Well this is _our_ house," Riza said, leaning back on the rock. "Not yours."

He took out his pen and began to write on his paper. "Doesn't change the fact that it is _my_ rock," It caused her to roll his eyes at him again.

They were silent for quite some time. He was busy with his exercises, she with her book. It was _Little Prince of Stone_ this time; Roy shuddered at the thought of that book's ending. It was a horrible book; the prince is not yet ready to be the king of Stone, yet he had to lead since he was the heir. He was also a coward, choosing to stay in his palace rather than fight for his people in the battlefield.

It was sunset when Roy finished answering his exercises. His main reason why he went outside a while ago was to watch the sunset, but then there was Riza. For him, her reading a book was always more fascinating to look at than his favorite sunset.

He was guessing that Riza was already on the part where the prince was about to die. His sister Mae literally bawled while reading the ending, saying that the prince did not deserve to die since he ruled the country well. Roy did not think so, and he has a feeling that, like Mae, Riza did not agree with him.

He knew that she would not bawl like what Mae did, still it shocked him to see her teary-eyed. This was the first time he saw her on the verge of tears, but at first glance one wouldn't even notice the tear forming on her right eye. Her mouth was slightly open, the plot twist never failed to surprise every reader. Riza let her guard down whenever she reads; it would be the only time he would see her rare, genuine smiles, and the spark of interest in her eyes, also the faint blush of her cheeks. A tear was brand new for him.

She closed the book, her gaze still unmoving as she stared at her lap. She did not notice the boy staring at him, trying his very best to not giggle. It was funny, Roy thought. For someone who was usually alert to be dazed all because of an idiotic prince.

He must be staring too long because Riza snapped out from her reverie and directed her gaze at him. "Why are you staring? It's rude."

"I can't believe you are one of the girls who fell for that prince as well." He took the book from her and sniffed its pages. Ah, it will never stop being addicting.

Riza grabbed the book from Roy's hands. "What's your problem with Prince Scott?"

Roy groaned. "He's an idiot."

"He's a good leader." Riza argued.

"He stayed at the palace while his soldiers are busy risking their lives at the battlefield." Roy stated.

"He is better at planning strategies than being at the frontlines."

"He still died even though he was supposed to be safe."

"And that was his fault because…?"

"He's an idiot." Roy repeated what he had said earlier.

"I can't believe you!"

"I can't believe you too." Roy smirked, and Riza ran her fingers through her short hair in annoyance.

She pointed at the papers that were now placed in the space between them. "Don't you have to finish those papers? Father would be really angry if you-"

"Done," Roy said with a cheeky grin.

Riza moved her gaze to the sun setting between the mountains. "You are such a know-it-all," she muttered.

Roy's grin grew wider. This is going to be fun. "Is this all about that prince again? You crushing on him?" he taunted Riza.

She tried to ignore the creeping blush on her cheeks, but she failed to do so. "S-shut up," Riza stammered, averting her eyes to the ground instead of Roy's stupid grin.

"Why him, Ri? I'm right here; you can have a crush on me."

She looked at him, disgust obvious in her face. "Eww no, you're like my brother. And you're twelve."

"So what if I'm twelve? You're nine, and we're not even related."

"You are three years older than me; you're old."

Roy's laugh echoed through the backyard; the birds in the trees flew away just like the scenes in some books, the leaves that were once only threatening to fall now fell to the ground. "The prince is way older than me -he's like your father's age."

"No, he's years younger than Father. And he does not get old, you do." Riza reasoned out.

Roy raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, fine. You win our little debate this time. Next time you won't."

"What makes you so sure there would be a next time?" Riza stood up, bending low so she could get her book and cookie jar before heading inside the house.

"H-hey, wait!" Roy followed her suit, "Are you mad at me just because I commented on the prince?"

Riza stopped in her tracks. "No, it's not that." She turned her head, but she did not face him. "You are so annoying."

"Now who's straightforward?" Roy chuckled as he caught up with her.

Now she turned so she could face him. Her face was red as she exclaimed in exasperation. "Why do you always bother me? I mean, I get it that you wanted to be my friend. Well, news flash, Roy. I don't want to be." She turned around and left him standing alone outside.

The sun has set, and he felt like she had just thrown a grenade at his face. He knew that him being annoying was not the reason why she didn't want to be his friend. It was something more and that thought made him more determined than ever to earn her friendship.

* * *

Roy had finished setting the table for dinner. Master Hawkeye and Aunt Liz hadn't arrived yet, and Riza was in her room. Roy took the job of setting the table which was usually her task, as an apology for being annoying.

He went upstairs to try to talk to Riza and apologize – he was that insistent. But as he reached her open door, he saw another side of her that he had never thought she had.

Riza was sitting on her bed, leaning against the wall. She was scribbling something on a pink notebook; she wrote so frantically that he thought she might as well rip the page. That was not the thing that made him stop from knocking on the door, though.

It was the tears on her face.

It pained him. It pained him to see her like that. She was still young to cry like that. The tears never stopped flowing from her eyes, like the way waterfalls flow. She was afraid, that was clear in her eyes. Why would she be afraid? Now Roy is definitely sure, there was more reason to her tears than what had happened earlier.

She stopped writing and their eyes met; obsidian on hazel. Roy cleared his throat, and Riza wiped her tears with her blanket. "What are you doing here, Roy?" she asked.

He decided not to mention her crying, it could make things worse. "You have a diary?!"

"I prefer to call it journal, diary sounds girly," she shrugged.

Roy leaned on the doorframe. "Well, keeping a _journal_ is kind of girly."

"What do you want?" Obviously she wanted to be alone; she looked like she wanted to throw a pillow in his face.

Roy sighed in defeat. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I already set the table for dinner downstairs."

She only gave him a subtle nod, and for him it was quite enough.

* * *

"Why are you insisting that I join you in _your_ rock?" Riza asked as he led her outside. Today was a Monday, which meant that Master Hawkeye gave him the week's schedule. And according to the schedule today was his free day. Aunt Liz was at the library; Master Hawkeye went to another town to buy supplies. They were alone in the house.

He wanted to use his free day to make it up to her.

"You'll see," was his short reply.

Roy tapped on Riza's shoulder once they were settled. He pointed at the words carved on the rock, and her eyes widened.

"Why?" she asked. Before he brought Riza there, he carved her name beside his. _Riza and Roy's rock_. It was now _theirs_.

Roy shrugged in reply. "I'm really sorry."

She stared at his eyes before smiling gently. "You're annoying."

It lifted his hopes up, that their little debate yesterday won't be their last. For him, her smile was more than enough.

* * *

 **This would probably be my last update before school starts.**

 **Please leave some reviews; let me know what you think! Have a good day. :)**


	4. Grave

**A/N: Decided to update today, and I used Riza's POV! :)**

 **Disclaimer: When will I wake up as Hiromu Arakawa?**

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Grave

"Wow."

That was the first word Roy uttered when Riza exited the bookstore. She raised an eyebrow in response.

"What?"

He gestured at the pile of books she was holding. "Where did you get the money for those expensive books?"

Riza smirked as she walked past Roy, hugging the three new books she would add to her collection. "Let's just say that I am using my advantage."

With the two bags of groceries that he was struggling to carry, Roy walked in a slow pace. Riza, feeling pity for the boy, took the lightest one as they were walking down the pavement. "Oh, you mean the advantage that your classmate at the cashier has a crush on you that's why you had a huge discount? That advantage?" There was a slight hint of irritation in his voice.

"Now, now. No need to be jealous, Roy Mustang. This is for the books," she paused, before adding "and since you volunteered to help me even though I know you hate shopping, I'll let you borrow these. It's our advantage."

Roy gave her a lopsided grin, obviously very happy that she would let him borrow her books, which she usually did not consent. "Stop giving me that face." Riza muttered.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" He closed his eyes while smiling; Riza was now having second thoughts. She decided to ignore him instead, the pair now walking in comfortable silence.

Mother was supposed to be the one doing the shopping, but Father insisted that Riza should learn how to buy food since she was already ten. Plus, Mother was tired from work. Riza was more than happy to comply, if it meant that she could help her mom, and that she would have some "me" time.

The "me" time did not happen, much to her dismay. Roy was at the porch when she was about to leave, and he insisted that he should join her. That puzzled her – Roy ranted about everything, and that included shopping. But here he was, accompanying her while she was buying from the list her mother gave her. She figured he was just being a gentleman.

He did not seem bored too, which surprised her. She expected Roy to whine and regret going to the market with her. Instead, he played with the celeries, grabbed the milkfish and waved it at her face, and lots of other things she would rather forget. It was embarrassing on her part. The vendors gave her a look and she just shrugged. "I don't even know him," Riza would say. And Roy would call her attention, ruining her plan of pretending he was a stranger. It was a very tiring day.

They were now in the outskirts of the town, nearing their home. It was mid-afternoon, the sun was shining, yet it was not too hot that it would cause sun burns. Riza loved feeling the fresh air kiss her skin, and hearing the sounds of nature from the surroundings. The wildflowers that grew on the side of the way also pleased her eyes.

Roy was picking said wildflowers with one hand, carrying the bag of goods in the other one. It was a variety of colors – from purple to yellow to blue. Riza was wondering for what – or for whom – those flowers are. Roy hummed a tune while picking. She was already used to Roy's antics, but it never lessened her curiosity on what was going through his head every time.

"We could put these bags down for a while," Riza said while putting her things in the grass, which made Roy look at her. "Wouldn't it be easier to pick wildflowers with arms free of baggage?"

Roy followed suit, wiping a bead of sweat on his forehead afterwards. "Yeah, you're right."

He continued picking wildflowers, she did the same. "Why are we doing this?" Riza asked.

"Uh, are you in a hurry to head home?"

Riza gave him a questioning look. "No. Why?"

"Good. I want you to come with me." Roy beamed before picking wildflowers again.

She approached him, a bunch of wildflowers in her hand. "What are you planning, Roy?"

"This should be enough," Roy said to himself, before grabbing Riza's wildflowers and picking up a grocery bag. "Let's go, Ri."

She stared at his retreating figure before gathering her own things and following him.

They headed to another way, one not heading to the house. There were a few houses, but it was not that crowded. They had been walking for quite some time when she realized where they were heading. The roads were leading to the cemetery.

Riza felt something stir in her chest. Did somebody die? She tried to recall any depressing news of the town lately, but to no avail. Surely her mother must've mentioned it to them if somebody had died, so Riza guessed that was not the case. What was Roy up to? Maybe he knew someone from this town who was dead. But how?

They had reached the black cemetery arch, the words _Dorhedge Cemetery_ etched at the top. She scanned the place; it was a very lonely sight. Not that it was completely void of life – there was the smell of freshly-mown grass and some flowers, there were people visiting their loved one, there were some tombstones that were maintained clean by their family. It was the heavy atmosphere the place carried which made it lonely. Six feet under the ground were people who couldn't enjoy life anymore, people who left their loved ones. It was a sad thought, and a sad place.

Roy tapped her shoulder and pointed to one grave on the far left side of the cemetery before heading there himself. She followed him, passing by rows of tombstones. Some looked like it existed for centuries, with cracks on their sides which made it seem like was beginning to crumble; others looked like it was newly-placed. She averted her eyes to Roy's back, avoiding reading the names of the dead. Riza did not know why but she felt kind of scared; she rarely went to the cemetery.

As they reached the grave Roy pointed, he placed the bouquet of wildflowers they had picked earlier in its foot. He placed his things on the ground before sitting cross-legged, and gestured Riza to do the same.

"And this is…?" She asked once they were both settled.

He leaned forward to read the tombstone. "Isidor Kistler. 1841-1872." He sighed, before glancing at the girl. "He died when he was 31 years old."

"Who's he?" Riza pressed on.

Roy shrugged. "I also don't know."

Her only response was to look at him, searching for any explanation as to why they were now sitting on a grave of someone they did not know. Roy hesitated before answering. "I have this weird habit of visiting graves of people I don't know, particularly the ones who, judging by their grave's appearance, were not that visited by their loved ones."

Mr. Isidor's grave certainly looked like it was rarely visited. It was unkempt, with mold beginning to cover his name, making it kind of hard to read. Weeds began to grow on both of its sides. She wondered what Mr. Isidor would say if he saw his own grave.

"I don't clean their graves, though," Roy continued. "I think that there are reasons why some of the dead are not much visited. Maybe their loved ones live far away from here; maybe they haven't accepted that fact that they are gone. They could also be busy from their lives, couldn't find the time to visit. They might feel offended if I clean the grave, but I think flowers are not offending."

There was a pause between them, before she spoke. "Is this the reason why sometimes you disappear?" Riza glanced at him. There were times when she looked for Roy in the house, but she had seen no signs of him.

He smiled at her. "Yeah. I wouldn't want to tell you before because, it might creep you out."

She returned her gaze back to Mr. Isidor. "Creepy at first, yeah. But now I understand, and I wouldn't call your habit weird. It's unique; I find it interesting," she plucked some of the weeds near them. "Mr. Isidor wouldn't mind the company, too. I think."

"I think he wouldn't, he must be happy that he met two kids today. Imagine having no one to talk to for years, now he has us." They shared a look, and Riza found herself being at ease in his company more, despite the fact that they are in a place that was making her feel uncomfortable.

They stayed there for an hour, and when it was time to head back home, Roy asked her if she would join him again someday. It had been her habit too ever since.

* * *

 **I already have an idea on what to do with the future chapters, but it's still fuzzy in my head. XD**

 **Please tell me your thoughts and review!**


	5. Heiki (weapon) & Heiki (fine)

**Oh wow, look who updated. Anyway, this last sem I temporarily became inactive in my fangirling life because I decided that I should focus more on studying and college life (not that I'm failing hahaha my standing is basically good). But since it's my vacation, here's a short update. :)**

 **Disclaimer: If I own FMA, then my life is infinitely better.**

* * *

Roy closed his alchemy book with a sigh. There was no use trying to find the goddamn answer to Master Hawkeye's take home exercise. He stood up from his chair and stood by the window, which was foggy. Confused, he breathed on the window pane and wiped his sweater sleeve on it. Roy's dark eyes widened.

The fourteen-year-old boy cannot contain his excitement. _It was snowing!_ His mind chanted repeatedly. He must have known it would snow, with the falling temperature and the need to wear warmer clothes. But stress from learning alchemy was taking most of his time; he did not even have time to talk to Riza because of that. Speaking of that girl, he rubbed on the window pane again, and saw her building a snowman as tall as her.

He was so envious. He wanted to play, too! Riza can build snowmen and make snow angels whenever she want, and he, on the other hand, has to make do with studying chemical figures and equations. Still, it was snowing, and Roy would not let anything dampen his mood. He breathed on the window pane and drew a happy face before heading downstairs to drink a cup of hot chocolate.

Aunt Liz was baking an apple pie when he arrived at the kitchen. "Good afternoon dear, don't you have any outerwear?"

Roy stopped walking and raised his eyebrow at the question. "I have some."

"Go change your clothes, then," she replied as she filled the pan with apple slices.

"Why?" He wondered. What was Aunt Liz up to now?

Placing the last apple slice, she looked at him. "You can't just wear that outside, my dear," she glanced at his sweater and sweatpants. "You will freeze to death."

Was she telling him to go out and play outside? Roy shook his head. "Uh, I have alchemy to catch up on, Aunt Liz."

" _It's snowing_ , and you should go out and play with Riza. I know you want to." She smiled as she kneaded the second pie crust.

"Master Hawkeye will get mad at me," he said. Roy badly, badly wanted to play. The terror of seeing Master Hawkeye's head burst into anger was the only thing stopping him to do so.

"He's not here, Roy." Aunt Liz replied. "He is at town buying some alchemy stuff, and he won't be home until later evening."

 _Master's not here!_ His mind exclaimed. "But still, Master will get mad at me for playing before answering my take home exercise." Roy did not take off his 'good student façade'.

"And I am your Master's wife; therefore I set the rules, not him," she winked at him. "I will handle him later."

He processed this in his mind for a couple of seconds before his 'good student façade' faded in the cold air. "YES!" he shouted as he ran towards his room. "Thank you, Aunt Liz!"

"No problem," she shouted back, "and for the millionth time, please call me Mom!"

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Riza asked as Roy started building his own snowman.

"It was a very fine day and I was just about to plant flowers." He held out his hand to Riza. "Do you want to plant, too? I still have some seeds."

She scoffed. "Very funny," she placed the snowman's 'hands' before continuing. "And as far as I know you should be answering your take home exercise and not procrastinating."

"Hey! Your mother allowed me to procrastinate, and it's awesome," he responded. "How did you know that my activity for today is a take home exercise?"

She just shrugged in reply. "I know things, Roy Mustang."

A minute passed before he spoke. "Are you stalking me?" He asked as they both build their snowmen.

Her face showed disbelief as she spun to look at him. "Why would I stalk you?"

"Oh, easy," Roy straightened his posture, as if he was demonstrating something in front of a crowd. "I have good looks, and unquestionable charms. I am very stalkable."

She rolled her eyes. " _Stalkable_ isn't even a word."

"It is now! I read it somewhere."

"Oh yeah? Where did you read it?" she challenged him.

" _The autobiography of Roy Mustang_ ," he smirked.

Her face deadpanned. "You, Mr. Stalkable," Riza cringed at the word. "are so unbelievable." She turned her back on him and continued to ignore him until minutes later she felt a snowball hit the back of her head.

"What was that for?!" She whipped her head around and saw Roy laughing hysterically. "Is this your definition of fun?"

Roy wiped a tear from his eye. "This is my base; that's yours." He pointed at the area behind her. "We are at a snowball war, and the only weapons we can use are snowballs."

"No." Riza replied as she turned around again and ignored him. A snowball hit the back of her head again.

"Will you stop?" she sighed as she faced him.

"Will you just play with me, Ri? It has been a while since we last played." Roy kneeled on the cold ground while pleading. His eyes were closed and his hands were clasped together as if he was praying to some god.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please- oh shit!"

Bull's eye! She threw the snowball straight in his face. It was now Riza's time to laugh as Roy shook his head to remove the snow. "Oh god, Roy. You look ridiculous!" Riza clutched her stomach as she laughed.

"Is this your definition of fun?" Roy repeated her question earlier as he stood up.

She smiled at him, making another snowball. "This is my base; that's yours."

It was a very fine day, indeed.

* * *

 **Please leave a review! They make me really happy.**


	6. Death

**A/N: Decided to update today I need to distract my mind off... things. Hahaha. And don't worry this is short.**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own FMA, oks?**

* * *

The walk to the cemetery was solemn. It was early in the afternoon. The sky was turning dark; it looked like rain will fall heavily at any minute. There were sniffling and whispers of encouraging words, and the people were clothed in black. The atmosphere weighing above them was heavy and full of grief. Riza clutched her hands together and intertwined her fingers as they walked towards the grave. Deep inside, she wanted to get out of there.

It was the day of her mother's funeral.

She did not cry, yet she remained silent during the whole ceremony. Like her, Father did not shed a tear. Her grandfather was weeping, still not accepting the fact that his only child was already gone. Mother's friends were also present, and so was Roy.

"I've always known that Aunt Liz has a lot of friends," Roy said. "But I never knew they were _this_ many."

"Yeah," Riza nodded as they glanced at the people who attended the ceremony. "She always loved tulips," she whispered, looking at the tulips on the people's hands.

"I remember how she always asked me to buy one of those whenever I visit my aunt," Roy reminisced.

Riza glanced at the tulip she was holding. "Then she would place those tulips near the kitchen window."

"Yes she would do just that," Roy gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry that this happened. Oh god, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, Roy," she replied. "Really, you don't. I'm just… grateful that you're here." Riza said as she took a deep breath. "I think it is our turn to place the flowers." She did not wait for Roy to reply. Riza walked towards her mother's coffin, now six feet under the ground. She felt like she wanted to collapse, to leave the ceremony and pretend that her mother was still alive. As she placed the flower on top of her coffin she told herself to be strong. She didn't want her mother to see her crying. Her mother wouldn't want to see her lonely.

"We should return to our place, Ri," Roy's voice shook her from her reverie. "We are taking a long time."

She tensed at that and, unwillingly, they returned back to where they stood a while ago.

"It looks like it is going to rain," Roy pointed out as he gazed at the dark sky. "I don't have an umbrella with me."

His attempts of lightening her mood was all that kept her from crying.

"It's alright. I'd rather have a rainy day than a sunny one, anyway." Riza replied. She didn't need the sun to come out and mock the fact that her mother died.

The gravediggers started to bury the coffin, and Riza averted her eyes to the ground. One by one, the people started to leave the cemetery after the coffin was buried. Her grandfather hugged her tight before leaving. The ones who remained were her, Roy, and Father. Her father seemed like he wanted to be alone; he did not stop the pair from leaving.

"Are you sure we made the right decision in leaving him alone there?" Roy asked as they walked on the way home.

"If I were in his place, I would rather be alone in my husband's grave for a while," she replied, kicking the small rocks as they passed by. "He loved Mother more than himself."

"I know," he sighed. A thunder roared as they walked, and she felt raindrops fall on her skin.

The rain splashed on the ground, and she did not know why but tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Hah, it's raining." Riza said. Her mother wouldn't like her catching a cold.

"I should've brought an umbrella," Roy exclaimed as he walked in a fast pace.

"It's alright, I'm actually grateful that it rained," she admitted. "Roy, I don't want to go back there yet."

She tugged on Roy's suit and he felt her hand shake uncontrollably. "Where do you want to go?"

She removed her hold as he faced her. She knew that he can see the tears on her face.

"Anywhere," she hiccupped. He removed his coat and placed it on her shoulders. "Anywhere but there."

Nodding his head, Roy took her hand and they walked back to the path towards the cemetery. As she was about to tell him that she would also not rather go back there Roy led her to a different way. Riza finally realized where they were heading – to an old, abandoned building near the market. There were no doors, so they entered and sat on the cold ground as they waited for the rain to stop pouring down from the sky. Riza heard Roy take a deep breath.

"She loved you very much, you know."

Riza sighed. Finally, she thought, the weather complemented what she felt. It was a bright, sunny day when her mother died. It did not seem appropriate.

"Yeah, I know."

She found it difficult to explain what she felt, so she cried. She cried as the rain fell, hoping that those tears would be enough to bring her mom back.

"I felt like a terrible daughter," she admitted. "I did not cry when she died, I did not cry at her funeral."

People would normally cry during those times, but not her. She must be heartless.

"No, you aren't." Roy noted. His assurance did not help her one bit.

Riza was at a loss, feeling all these different emotions. "Yes I am! I am mad at her for leaving. I am mad at Father for pretending that I do not exist."

She stopped speaking - she felt tense voicing out her emotions out loud, even though she trusted Roy.

"Let it all out, Riza. Please," she turned her head and saw his eyes, begging. "I won't judge."

"I know you won't," she heaved a sigh. "I am just… not used to this. Mother was the only person I can open up with, and now that she's gone…"

She closed her eyes and rested her head on her hands. It was all too much.

"She shouldn't have caught the disease," she breathed heavily. "She should be back at home, preparing a pot of soup because we got the colds. She should be reprimanding us when we get home." Riza opened her eyes and looked at him. "She should be alive."

"She shouldn't be buried in the ground. I want her back, Roy. I want her back." She broke into tears again, and this time Roy scooted closer to her and held her as she cried.

"We can't bring her back, Ri." Roy whispered.

"I know that," she went on. "I just wish things were different."

Wishing was the only thing she can do. Riza removed herself from the older boy's hold and gazed at him. "I'm glad you're here. I don't know who else to talk to. I'm sure Father wouldn't want to talk to me."

Roy did not object to that. Riza knew she would remind her father so much of Mom – they looked alike.

"I love her," Riza said softly. "I love her more than I love any other being. And to think that I wouldn't see her again is… I don't even want to think about that. Sometimes, I wish it was me instead of her -"

"Don't say that," he cut her off. "Aunt Liz wouldn't want that, and neither does your father."

Her father would probably prefer that it was her instead, Riza thought. Father loved her mother more than her, and now that Mother was gone, Father and she would probably drift away.

"He would," she whispered. "Father would want that, we weren't that close anyway."

"Well, I wouldn't want that," he admitted.

"Wow," she teased him lightly. "This is the first time you actually acknowledged me as your friend."

Roy raised an eyebrow. They both knew that even though their relationship consisted of bantering about books and fighting about a lot of things, they are friends. Riza treated Roy as her closest friend, and she knew that he treated her same.

"Your mother would want you to erase those thoughts," Roy replied. "Please stop thinking that way."

"I'm trying," she confided. "I really am. I never thought it would be this hard, though."

Roy took hold of her hand and squeezed it tight. Riza felt secure, she felt like a heavy weight was put off her shoulders after telling the fifteen-year-old boy what she felt. The time will come when she will move on from her mother's death, but that time isn't now.

"I'll miss her, Roy. I'll miss her waking me up for school," she shared. "I'll miss her bringing me new books from the library. I'll miss her pies and chocolate muffins."

Roy ran his thumb over the back of her hand, encouraging her to speak. "I'd plant a thousand tulips in our backyard if it'd bring her back," she continued. "I'd do anything just so she'd be alive again."

"I hated her for leaving me alone," she gripped his hand so tight it was already losing color, but Roy didn't mind. "I don't know how to leave without her – I don't know if I could. I don't know."

"I tried my best not to cry – she wouldn't want to see me cry, but," Riza wiped the tears falling down from her eyes using her other hand. "but I hope she'd forgive me for crying now."

A lightning flashed, and thunder crashed in the sky. He never let go of her hand.

"She would forgive you, Riza," Roy said. "She would always do."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you for being here."

The rain never stopped falling. She slightly hoped that it never will.

"Mother loved the rain," Riza said. "She must've loved that it was raining on her funeral."

Roy gripped her hand in reply

* * *

 **Anyway, please leave a review!**


	7. Crime and Punishment

**A/N: Honestly I never thought I would update again this vacation! But because of boredom/needing to distract myself from stuff in my life I decided to write again! This is a very short update (585 words) but I am somehow satisfied? Haha I mean, I am never satisfied, but, you know... XD Anyways, I should stop talking.**

 **Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing Arakawa's characters. :)**

* * *

Roy closed the book in his hand with a contented sigh. It was well-written, and he was so over the moon when Riza lend him the book for a few days. The plot twist was surreal; he can't stop thinking about it.

Ever since Aunt Liz died, he and Riza were the ones taking care of the house. Master Hawkeye locked himself away in his room, leaving only when he has trips for reasons the teenagers didn't know. He was exhausted from one of his trips yesterday; he spent this day sleeping.

It gave Roy enough time to finish the novel.

He glanced at the clock. It was ten past seven in the evening, and he heard his stomach growl. Roy stood up from the couch and headed to Riza's bedroom. Today was a Thursday, and it was Riza's turn to cook supper. Also, he cannot wait to talk to her about the novel's ending! A big smile formed in his face as he knocked at her door. There was no answer. He knocked again, still she did not reply. Roy twisted the door knob slightly – it was unlocked. He figured that she was asleep, and he decided to take a peek. As he swung the door open he froze. Blood rushed to his face, and his jaw dropped to the floor.

In the middle of the room stood Riza, her hands were holding the hem of her shirt she was about to wear. After all these years of living with her, he can't help but notice how her body was slowly becoming… womanly. He never thought that she would wear a lacy bra, too. She was fuming.

"You pervert!" she shrieked, covering herself with the shirt. "Why did you open the door?!"

To say that her smooth skin was distracting was an understatement. It was _more_ than that. Roy shook his head, he shouldn't be thinking about her like that. They were friends.

"Uh, what's for supper?" Roy stuttered. He gave himself a pat on his back for being able to respond.

Riza took a deep breath. She was furious. "You could've waited for me to open the door."

"I-I'm sorry. I did not hear you reply," he admitted. He still can't stop staring at her, though.

"And yet it seems like you will continue standing there," she murmured.

She made him feel dizzy. "Am I supposed to leave?"

"Well?!" she exclaimed as she grabbed a hairbrush from her bed.

"Alright, alright!" Roy closed the door behind him just as the hairbrush hit it with a thud. _Good Lord,_ he thought. Her throw was so accurate it would hit his head if he didn't close the door fast.

He did not leave – he stood outside her door waiting for her. "Oh yeah, about the book…"

His sentence was cut short when Riza opened the door and marched down the kitchen. As she reached the last step, she looked at Roy, who was following her.

"As your punishment," she started to say. "That will be the last book you will be borrowing from me."

Riza seemed satisfied with Roy's reaction – eyes and mouth wide open.

"That isn't fair!" he protested.

It was a lie. Days after _the incident_ – as what they would call it – Riza lent Roy another book, Roy would read it, and afterwards they would talk about the story, like what they would usually do. But something changed. Now, they cannot stop themselves from blushing every time they look at each other.

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 **I don't know when my next update will be sooo... maybe I will update when the mood strikes again haha idk**

 **Thanks for reading! :) And please, leave a review! I would LOVE to hear your thoughts. :)**


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